pride

"Good gracious!" cried Mrs. Bennet, as she stood at a window the next morning, "if that
disagreeable Mr. Darcy is not coming here again with our dear Bingley! What can he mean
by being so tiresome as to be always coming here? I had no notion but he would go a-
shooting, or something or other, and not disturb us with his company. What shall we do
with him? Lizzy, you must walk out with him again, that he may not be in Bingley's way."
Elizabeth could hardly help laughing at so convenient a proposal; yet was really vexed
that her mother should be always giving him such an epithet.
As soon as they entered, Bingley looked at her so expressively, and shook hands with
such warmth, as left no doubt of his good information; and he soon afterwards said aloud,
"Mrs. Bennet, have you no more lanes hereabouts in which Lizzy may lose her way again
to-day?"
"I advise Mr. Darcy, and Lizzy, and Kitty," said Mrs. Bennet, "to walk to Oakham Mount
this morning. It is a nice long walk, and Mr. Darcy has never seen the view."
"It may do very well for the others," replied Mr. Bingley; "but I am sure it will be too
much for Kitty. Won't it, Kitty?" Kitty owned that she had rather stay at home. Darcy
professed a great curiosity to see the view from the Mount, and Elizabeth silently
consented. As she went up stairs to get ready, Mrs. Bennet followed her, saying:
"I am quite sorry, Lizzy, that you should be forced to have that disagreeable man all to
yourself. But I hope you will not mind it: it is all for Jane's sake, you know; and there is no
occasion for talking to him, except just now and then. So, do not put yourself to
inconvenience."
During their walk, it was resolved that Mr. Bennet's consent should be asked in the
course of the evening. Elizabeth reserved to herself the application for her mother's. She
could not determine how her mother would take it; sometimes doubting whether all his
wealth and grandeur would be enough to overcome her abhorrence of the man. But whether
she were violently set against the match, or violently delighted with it, it was certain that
her manner would be equally ill adapted to do credit to her sense; and she could no more
bear that Mr. Darcy should hear the first raptures of her joy, than the first vehemence of her
disapprobation.
In the evening, soon after Mr. Bennet withdrew to the library, she saw Mr. Darcy rise
also and follow him, and her agitation on seeing it was extreme. She did not fear her father's
opposition, but he was going to be made unhappy; and that it should be through her
means—that she, his favourite child, should be distressing him by her choice, should be
filling him with fears and regrets in disposing of her—was a wretched reflection, and she
sat in misery till Mr. Darcy appeared again, when, looking at him, she was a little relieved
by his smile. In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty;
and, while pretending to admire her work said in a whisper, "Go to your father, he wants
you in the library." She was gone directly.